Answer to Question #91749 in Optics for jane montgomery

Question

Describe the difference between what we see in a specular reflection versus a diffuse reflection.

Answer 1

Specular reflection, also known as regular reflection, is the mirror-like reflection of waves, such as light, from a surface. In this process, each incident ray is reflected at the same angle to the surface normal as the incident ray, but on the opposing side of the surface normal in the plane formed by incident and reflected rays

Diffuse reflection is a reflection of the luminous flux incident on the surface, at which the reflection occurs at an angle different from the incident one and not lying in the plane of the incident beam and normal to the surface ( mirror reflection).

Diffuse reflection becomes when the surface irregularities are of the order of the wavelength (or exceed it) and are arranged randomly.